The present invention relates to devices for stabilizing an object connected thereto, and more particularly to automatically deployable devices capable of reducing movement of an object disposed in a fluid.
It is frequently desired that an aquatic devices floating in water or supported by a water-born float, such as a buoy, be maintained unattended at or near a specific predetermined location. Also, proper operation of such devices frequently requires that they be stabilized and not be readily displaced by wave or current action.
A sonobuoy is a device, capable of being dropped from an aircraft into a body of water, which detects underwater sounds and transmits them to a remote receiver. One example of a sonobuoy includes a hydrophone suspended in the water below a flotation device. Wave action, currents and other movement of the water can induce oscillations, displacement or other movement of such a hydrophone with respect to the Earth, such as by moving the float. Such movement of the hydrophone can cause a reduced signal-to-noise ratio resulting from introduction of the oscillation, and erroneous or varying data resulting from any change in hydrophone position. Mechanical oscillations and thus noise can also be caused by deployment and dropping of the hydrophone from the float, followed by attempting to restrict movement of the hydrophone at a preselected depth. Any device in a sonobuoy should be automatically deployable because of the depth at which such devices are often deployed, and to permit rapid deployment of a large number of sonobuoys over a substantial surface area. Various devices have been used for damping of a sonobuoy hydrophone disposed in water. However, the size limitations of sonobuoy housing within which all sonobuoy components must be stowed for dropping and impact on the water impose constraints in stored size and thus deployed size, automatic deployability and thus effectiveness of damping devices.